Decreasing the ESL Accent
Steps to Help Non-native Speakers Improve Conversational Skills
Sep 24, 2009
A student who is aware of the different techniques that will assist in her accent reduction is better able to use the tools available to her. Many techniques that will help a student’s accent reduction are techniques that can be used at home or in a setting where the student is comfortable. A student who is learning to speak English as an adult should realize that there will always be a trace of an accent in their English. While accent reduction is important, the student should spend time working towards fluency. The more fluent he becomes, the more likely his accent will decrease.
Enunciate Clearly
An ESL student should slow down when he is speaking. By slowing down he is enunciating words more clearly. This helps reduce his accent thus making him easier to understand. The ESL students should over-enunciate his words until he is more comfortable communicating in English. Initially, the speaker may feel shy communication like this; however by taking the time to over-enunciate, the student will find that he is more readily understood.
Watch Native English Speakers Carefully
Non native English speakers should pay attention to the mouths of English speakers as they form English words. In particular, they should scrutinize how the mouths and tongues work together to form certain sounds. The student should imitate what she has observed.
In order to master the formation of the words, the speaker should be asked to repeat the word again slowly so that the non-native speaker is better able to comprehend how the word is shaped. This exercise will aid ESL speakers as they grasp the concepts that will enable them to speak English with less obvious accents.
Touch Throats and Mouths While Speaking
There are many sounds in English that non-native speakers cannot hear easily. When the throat is touched while a word is being spoken, the non-native speaker is able to understand where the sound of the word comes from an imitate it. In addition to this, one should hold a hand over the mouth of the English speaker to feel how much pressure comes from the lips when a particular English word is spoken.
Particular attention should be paid to how letters that sound alike, such as the letters "p" and "b", are formed as these letters are often mispronounced by non-English speakers. Request can be made to teachers about using this method. English speaking friends are another excellent source of using this method.
Read Aloud to Practice English
Time should be taken to read aloud for 20-30 minutes a day. Reading a simple children’s book will allow the reader to form and practice simple English words. Using these simple books will also prevent frustrations caused by sounding out difficult words. The student should take her time reading. She should make sure to pay close attention to how her mouth and tongue are working while they are pronouncing the words. The ESL student should keep in mind that this simple exercise is to help with English pronunciation. She should not focus on whether she knows the meanings to all the words in the book.
Listen Carefully to English Speakers
Students must hear English to speak English well. The student who wants to reduce his accent should listen to as many things as he can in English. The non-native speaker would gain much by listening to English radio. As he is shopping the ESL student should listen to the conversations around him. He should watch the news every day. Randall’s ESL Cyber Listening Lounge is a resource that will allow the students to practice his listening skills while improving the student’s ability to communicate in everyday situations. At the end of this listening practice, students can choose to take a quiz that will test their comprehension of the conversation.
Don’t Cut Off the Ends of Words
The ends of English words sometimes get cut off in casual conversations. It is important the non-native English speaker pronounces the ends of words she is saying. Over-pronunciation is more desirable than under-pronunciation. In particular, the student learning to communicate in English should pay careful attention to the –ed’s and the –s’s that end many English words as these letter are commonly dropped when English is spoken.
Accents Will be Reduced Over Time
As the non-native English speaker slows down his speech, listens, and pays careful attention to clearly enunciate his words, he will find that his accent will gradually be reduced. Overcoming the initial shyness that accompanies learning a new language and fully participating in these activities will ensure that the ESL student will be able to communicate in English.
ESL
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